Syed Z. Ali, MD
Cytopathology
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty
About Syed Z. Ali
Professional Titles
- Director, Division of Cytopathology
Primary Academic Title
Professor of Pathology
Background
Dr. Syed Zulfiqar Ali is a professor of pathology and an associate professor of radiology and radiological science at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He serves as director of the Division of Cytopathology and as director of the Cytopathology Fellowship Training Program. His research interests address diagnostic issues and prognostic factors of clinicopathologic analyses, primarily based on aspiration cytopathology of pancreas, thyroid and soft tissues.
Dr. Ali holds an M.D. from Rawalpindi Medical College in Pakistan. He completed a residency in pediatrics at the Metropolitan Hospital Center of New York Medical College and a residency in pathology at Cornell University Medical Center. He also conducted a postdoctoral fellowship in pathology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, as well as a fellowship in cytopathology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Dr. Ali has authored or co-authored hundreds of peer-reviewed publications. He is the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the American Society of Cytopathology and is co-editor of “The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology.” Dr. Ali is an active member of the American Society of Cytopathology, where he has served as the chair of various committees and was on the executive board.
Additional Academic Titles
Associate Professor of Radiology and Radiological Science
Research Summary
Dr. Ali’s interest is focused on clinicopathologic analyses by attempting to address diagnostic issues and prognostic factors, primarily based on aspiration cytopathology of pancreas and thyroid. He is involved in several ongoing projects that explore the use of high-resolution digital photo imaging, whole slide virtual microscopy and remote telepathology to create novel web-based tutorials, podcasts and diagnostic evaluation tools.
Selected Publications
Cibas ES, Ali SZ. The 2017 Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology. Thyroid. 2017 Nov;27(11):1341-1346. doi: 10.1089/thy.2017.0500. PMID:29091573.
Hang JF, Lilo MT, Bishop JA, Ali SZ. Diagnostic Accuracy of Fine Needle Aspiration in Thyroid Nodules Arising in Patients with Graves Disease. Acta Cytol. 2017 Mar 4. doi: 10.1159/000464094. [Epub ahead of print] PMID:28259878.
Hang JF, Westra WH, Cooper DS, Ali SZ. The impact of noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features on the performance of the Afirma gene expression classifier. Cancer. 2017 May 24. doi: 10.1002/cncy.21879. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 28544601.
Lilo MT, VandenBussche CJ, Allison DB, Lennon AM, Younes BK, Hruban RH, Wolfgang CL, Ali SZ. Serous Cystadenoma of the Pancreas: Potentials and Pitfalls of a Preoperative Cytopathologic Diagnosis. Acta Cytol. 2016 Nov 26. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 27889754.
Rooper LM, Onenerk M, Siddiqui MT, Faquin WC, Bishop JA, Ali SZ. Nodular oncocytic hyperplasia: Can cytomorphology allow for the preoperative diagnosis of a nonneoplastic salivary disease? (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28411376) Cancer. 2017 Apr 14. doi: 10.1002/cncy.21865. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 28411376.
Memberships
- American Society of Cytopathology (ASC)
Professional Activities
- American Society of Cytopathology, Chairman
- American Society of Cytopathology, Chairman
- Journal of the American Society of Cytopathology, Founding editor-In-Chief
- The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology, Co-Editor
Locations
- Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
- 4940 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224
- phone: 410-550-0100
- fax: 410-550-0101
- The Johns Hopkins Hospital
- 1800 Orleans Street, Baltimore, MD 21287
- phone: 410-955-5000
- fax: 410-955-5001
Expertise
Education
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Fellowship, Cytopathology, 1997Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Fellowship, Pathology, 1995New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell
Residency, Pathology, 1994NYC Health+Hospitals/Metropolitan
Residency, Pediatrics, 1989Rawalpindi Medical College
Medical Education, Medicine, MD, 1984Board Certifications
Cytopathology
American Board of Pathology, 1997Anatomic Pathology
American Board of Pathology, 1996Clinical Pathology
American Board of Pathology, 1996Insurance
- Aetna
- CareFirst
- Cigna
- First Health
- Geisinger Health Plan
- HealthSmart/Accel
- Humana
- Johns Hopkins Health Plans
- MultiPlan
- Pennsylvania's Preferred Health Networks (PPHN)
- Point Comfort Underwriters
- Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
- UnitedHealthcare
- Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (Optum-VACCN)